Our cities are expanding, and it is obvious from the air that the new neighborhoods and subdivisions are larger and more homogeneous than the old. In this image, one area stands out for its white roofs, but other clusters are also evidently constructed at the same time. Even in Iowa, nearly 5% of the land is under construction – housing, industry, roads and commercial development.

This picture was taken on July 19, 2008 over the eastern Los Angeles basin.